MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 
zontaliy over a small box, which serves as 
a sounding board. Tlie note of each is 
necessarily fixed, so tliat this instrument 
is always in tune. Tlie sounds are produced 
either by a kind of plectrum, applied to 
the ends of the bars ; or they may be touch- 
ed by small knobbed sticks. Many of the 
natives in that pai t perform the common 
airs of Ilindosian very pleasingly on this 
kind of didc.inier. The tones arc not un- 
like those of very small chimes. The stic- 
cado, or rigots, is of this species, and consists 
of a long wedge formed box, at the bot- 
tom of which two ridges are made longi- 
tudinally ; on these narrow flat pieces of 
sonorous wood, of glass, or of metal, flat 
below and arched above, are placed, side 
by side, but not in contact; so that, the 
longest pieces from the lowest notes, gra- 
dually becoming more acute, as the pieces 
are shorter towards the narrow end of the 
box. The notes of this instrument are 
produced like the former ; the scale varies; 
but rai'cly exceeds two octaves and a half. 
The tones are peculiarly articulate, whence 
many have erroneously called it the stoc- 
cato ; and as it was formerly much in use 
among rustics, who could easily construct 
the whole apparatus, the additional designa- 
tion of pastorale was given. 
The Musical-Glasses, when touched with 
sticks, resemble this instrument more than 
any other. The glasses are of various sizes, 
according to the grave or acute notes they 
are to yield. Some sets are well in tune, 
but others require to have more or less 
water poured in, to bring them to their 
proper pitch. Some performers execute 
difficult pieces with wonderful adroitness, 
though but very few can produce the rim 
tone, i. e. by touching the rims with their 
finger’s ends, so quick, and so effectually, 
as to vie, in point of execution, with the 
sticcado mode, ’fhe cistrum, or citron, 
was an instrument of this species, formerly 
in use among the Egyptian priests ; we do 
not know sufficient of it to give any par- 
ticular description; though it appears to 
be the parent of this genus. 
Bells, Chimes, Carillons, &c. also apper- 
tain to the class of percussion, they being 
all struck, either by clappers suspended 
within them, or by hammers from without. 
We have some excellent bells in various 
parts of England; but very few chimes, 
and those few so vilely regulated, as to be- 
r.orae a disgrace to their keepers, and a 
nuisance to the public. On the Continent 
the chimes of many churches are objects 
of admiration. We may often be well en- 
tertained with fue carillons, sometimes sus- 
pended over the cages of squirrels, &c.; 
which being touched by small projecting 
wires on the circular cage, the same as is 
done for notes on a bariel-organ, produce 
a pleasing effect, especially when they 
either are touched in succession, like a 
jieal of bells, or are made to perform some 
little air. 
The most sonorous instnmient of thi.s 
class is the Gong, in general use throughout 
China, and occasionally to be seen in other 
parts of Asia. Some of these immense, 
round, flat masses of bell metal, or other 
mixture, measure nearly a yard in diameter, 
and weigh seven or eight hundred weight ; 
we have, indeed, heard of them much larger. 
In a still day, their sounds may be heard 
from two to three miles, very distinctly. 
An author of eminence observes that the 
tone of the gong caimot be appreciated ; 
but, though we admit the difficulty, we 
'must observe, as has already been remarked 
under the head of Music, that every atom 
in nature, when at liberty, and not damped 
by contact with others, possesses some par- 
ticular sound, replicating to some division 
on our scale. The gong is struck with a 
wooden hammer. We may consider the 
modern cymbals as a species of the gong ; 
these are two plates of mixed metal, of 
various sizes, but generally near a foot in 
diameter, and about the sixth, or fifth, of 
an inch in thickness; cupolaed in their 
centers, for about three inches, so as to 
resound forcibly, and to fit into each hand 
of the performer, who usually strikes them 
in a passing manner to only the first and 
third notes of the measfire. The effect 
of a pair of cymbals in a military band is 
grand ; it is a powerful reinforcement to 
the accent, so as to render it almost im- 
possible for the soldiers to step out of time; 
but, heard at a small distance, cymbals are 
distressing to a well-timed ear ; they are 
seldom if ever of the same intonation; and, 
when clashed together in the usual me- 
chanical manner, yield a harsh and distract- 
ing sound. The nakokus is a kind of cymbal, 
which, hanging in pairs near the altars of 
the Egyptian churches, are clashed together 
to beat the time. The Asiatics in their 
bands, and in tlieir religious ceremonies, use 
diminutive cymbals; not more than three 
inches in diameter, and rather bell-shaped. 
Of the Drum species we have an abun- 
